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Thursday, November 19, 2015

Thanksgiving Tablescape Using Yard Sale Dishes

How many of you have a group to feed at Thanksgiving but not enough matching dishes to set the table? That has been my problem for years.......30 guests and a serving for 8 set of dishes that are alike!
We always have more than one table....who has a table to seat 30....lol! So, I have each table set different. But sometimes I also don't have a service for 8 that match.

I have done several posts with different tablescapes this season and I want to show you how they can all be combined

But first I want to show you how I dressed my deer for Thanksgiving. I made a pretty bonnet out of newspaper for her and I bought a Pilgrim hat at a party shop for $4 for him.

I also want to share how I made a simple centerpiece for the table. My ceramic carrot cake was a yard sale purchase several years ago. I don't remember how much, but I don't normally spend over $5 for my "food"

I added a brass deer.....a white turkey....and a couple of candle sticks to complete the centerpiece.

I wanted to give you a close up of the "pedestal" that my carrot cake is on. I bought the round copper tray at a yard sale last week end for $1 . I sat a copper metal candle holder in the center and placed my cake on the top. I bought the copper candle holder at the same yard sale...also a dollar.

Now to the dishes! Yard sale dishes are never complete sets, but they are cheap. In this pattern I have 6 plates ......1 saucer....3 teacups... 4 small bowls and 5 dessert plates that are alike.

I bought some pretty paper plates at Tuesday Morning to add some layers to my tablesetting and to stretch my few dishes to make a table to seat 6 people.

I was able to make 2 setting alike for the heads of the table, 2 sets alike for one side, and 2 sets alike for the other side.

Here are the 3 different settings. Notice how they all have different glasses, napkin rings, deer heads, bowls, saucers, and pumpkins. I only have 3 tea cups, so I put 1 at each end and packed the other one back up.
I think it all works!

You are such a dynamo!!! Everything looks absolutely wonderful, and I am jealous over how much holiday decorating you have done already. Your home must always make guests feel so welcomed, appreciated and loved .

Penny, this is one of your best posts. All the settings are elegant and no one will feel like they got the leftover dishes. Oh my and 30, I'm having only 7 this year, which is a treat in a sense! Happy Thanksgiving, Sandi

Penny, Everything looks beautiful! Lovely dishes and paper plates! You always find the prettiest paper plates!! I am working Mon., Tues, and Wed, nights this coming week. The kids are coming for 4 pm on Thursday for dinner. It will just be the 5 of us. I will than be off Thurs. and Fri. nights so I hope to decorate the Powder Room those days and then I will be done!! But I am sure I will be doing a lot of tweaking afterward!!